


All the Pieces Finally Fit

by justyourtypicalfangirl



Series: Reddie Through the Years [2]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Aged-Up Losers Club (IT), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier Are Best Friends, Bill Denbrough & Eddie Kaspbrak Are Best Friends, Boys In Love, Coming Out, Eddie Kaspbrak Lives, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Fix-It, Friends to Lovers, I only tagged the relationships that have the most meaningful reveals, Internalized Homophobia, Losers Club (IT) Friendship, M/M, Richie Tozier & Stanley Uris Are Best Friends, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Stanley Uris Lives, they still love ben and mike
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-01-22 19:48:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21307622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justyourtypicalfangirl/pseuds/justyourtypicalfangirl
Summary: A collection of all the ways each Loser discovered that Eddie Kaspbrak and Richie Tozier were madly in love with each other.-Alternately, the one where everyone finds out
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier, Bill Denbrough & Eddie Kaspbrak, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Richie Tozier & Stanley Uris
Series: Reddie Through the Years [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1536164
Comments: 8
Kudos: 68





	1. Stan

Summer, 2016

Stanley Uris was alive. He woke up on a Friday morning staring at nothing, and felt his entire body ache. His wrists burned, and when he tried to sit up, he bumped his head on the top of the coffin he was buried in. Panic flared in his chest when he realized where he was and he felt his breath run short. What had happened? Why was he in a coffin?

The memories all flooded back at once, and he felt his wrists burn white hot as the scene of him lying in his bathtub flooded into his mind. Tears began streaking down his cheeks and he tried his best to return his breathing back to normal. He lifted a weak hand and began pounding on the roof of the coffin, hoping that he hadn’t been buried yet. Luckily, the lid bounced up slightly, and a glimmer of hope shone through the crack. No dirt had poured into the box, so he assumed he wasn’t trapped. He pushed the roof with all the strength left in his arms and screamed with the effort. 

Stan practically fell out of the coffin once he managed to push the lid off, breathing heavily as his vision swam. He had no idea what day it was or where he was, and if he really had died. If he had, his body was fully aware of the amount of time he’d gone without eating or drinking, and he felt like he was going to pass out. 

“…Hello?” Stan managed to whisper, his voice hoarse and nearly gone. The room he was in was dark, and looking around, vision still spinning, he noted the other coffins with him. He must have been in a funeral home, which he immediately felt silly for not realizing sooner. He had died, of course he was on funeral grounds.

With the little amount of strength he had left, Stan stood up on shaking legs, leaning against his coffin for support. He noticed for the first time the black sleeves of the suit he was wearing, and took a moment once finding his balance to pull up his sleeves. There were two long, white bandages neatly placed on his wrists and he reached towards his left arm, shakily pulling it off. He sighed gently; there was no scar anymore.

He took this as a good sign that the Losers must have done something to defeat the evil in Derry, and that solution did something to bring him back. He turned his right arm around to pull the bandage off too when he noticed that the long, jagged scar on his palm was gone. They definitely did something. 

Stan scanned the room, looking for a way out and gulped thickly; his throat was bone dry. He spotted a water cooler in the corner of the room and rushed towards it, ducking his mouth underneath the spout to drink from it desperately. He was thoroughly more energized once his entire face was soaking wet and he coughed, testing his voice once more.

“Hello?” He said stronger than his last attempt, but again, no one replied. Clearly, he was here alone. Assessing his options, he walked towards the only exit in the room and left, turning down a dark hallway. The feeling in his muscles began to return as he stretched his limbs out and he started to feel less rigid. One of the doors at the end of the hall led out into the reception area and he headed for the front desk, rifling around in the papers.

He lifted the AJC newspaper from the desk, reading that the date was July 11th, 2016, just five days after he’d killed himself. Looking around for a phone, he debated calling Patty, before realizing that he was supposed to be dead; she would never believe it was him. 

Patty. The absolute love of his life must have been suffering so badly with no idea as to why Stan had done this to himself. He felt a lump form in his throat and he sniffled, deciding that it would be best to just go to her and not call. It may freak her out, but at least she would believe that it was true right away. Opting not to call for help, Stan headed for the front doors, unlocking them and stepping out into the cold evening air.

-

The Losers each received a call a week later from Patty Uris, who happily explained to them that Stan was miraculously alive. All of them raced to Atlanta as soon as they could, believing it to be too good to be true. Mike was heading that direction during his travels towards Florida and made it there in a day, while Bill, Ben and Bev, who’d all left the country, took a little bit longer. Surprisingly, Richie and Eddie made it there the quickest, buying flights the second Patty hung up the phone, just three hours before Mike.

Stan watched their rental car race up the driveway from the window in the living room and smiled as they both clambered out of the car. Eddie saw him in the window and Stan watched his hands come up to cover his mouth, clearly letting out a sound that Stan couldn’t hear. Richie grabbed at Eddie’s shoulders, following his gaze to Stan, smiling wide.

“I should have called them sooner, considering their reaction,” Patty admitted from behind Stan and Stan turned around, pulling her into his chest. He kissed the top of her head gently and rubbed her back in a manner he knew soothed her.

“It’s alright. I had a lot of explaining to do, and I scared you half to death,” Stan said. After he managed to find his way home and convince Patty that he wasn’t a ghost, demon, zombie, or any other monster she could think of, he explained everything. From the clown to Derry to that summer 27 years prior. It took a lot of time, and a lot of mental breaks in between, but once he finished telling her everything, Patty made a beeline to their phone to call his childhood friends.

The frantic knocking at the door pulled Stan away from Patty as she rushed out of the living room to answer it.

“Stan!” Richie screamed, Eddie protesting at his rudeness from behind him and Stan felt tears well up in his eyes. He’d missed them so fucking much. Eddie raced into the room first, stopping at the doorway with his eyes wide. Richie stood behind him, a blank and bewildered expression on his face.

“Hey guys,” Stan said with a wide smile, the tears in his eyes threatening to spill. Eddie took a shaky breath before crossing the room in two steps, hitting Stan’s chest. The wind was knocked out of him and Eddie kept hitting him, his fists balled, but his punches weakening.

“You motherfucker, Stanley Uris! ‘Take yourself off the board’, are you fucking kidding me? Fuck you, you asshole, trying to be all galant or whatever the fuck. Don’t you EVER do something so fucking stupid again, you piece of shit!” Eddie exclaimed, but there was a watery smile behind everything he said. Stan smiled back, pulling Eddie into a hug.

“I missed you too, Eddie.” He said with a chuckle and Eddie grumbled into Stan’s shoulder, but hugged him back nonetheless. Stan was sniffling slightly, looking up from Eddie to see Richie across the room still. He was frozen in the doorway and Stan let go of Eddie slightly, the fear in Richie’s eyes hurting his heart. 

Richie and Stan’s friendship was always on a different level. Yes, Stan’s best friend may have been Bill, and Richie’s Eddie, but they were closer than any of the Losers. Stan could tell Richie anything, and Richie would tell Stan all of his life’s secrets too. Almost all of them. Stan knew full well that Richie kept things buried from everyone, including himself. There were many moments where words were on the cusp of leaving Richie’s mouth, but they never did. Stan always wondered if Richie regretted that. He knew he regretted never probing deeper for what he knew was locked away.

“Rich…” Stan trailed off and Eddie stepped back, wiping at his eyes and looking over at Richie too. Richie’s bottom lip trembled and he let out a broken, poorly repressed sob as tears started streaming down his face. Stan broke then too, the tears in his eyes flowing down his face as he took the step forward for Richie and pulled him into his arms.

“Don’t leave again. Please, don’t leave again.” Richie said shakily and Stan nodded, his torso somewhat pained at how tightly Richie was squeezing him. He didn’t mind the ache though. Richie was shaking in his arms and he refused to let him go until Richie felt calm again. If whatever the Losers had done hadn’t resulted in his magical return, Richie would have kept this all bottled up forever, and Stan immediately hated himself because that possibility had existed. It was the possibility he believed to be true before he stepped into that tub.

“Hon, I’m gonna make you some tea and grab some blankets, alright?” Patty’s soft voice sounded from behind them and Stan looked up at his wife, noticing her hand pressed gently to Richie’s shoulder. Richie didn’t acknowledge her touch, but Eddie thanked her for him, taking a place beside Richie to lean his forehead on Richie’s shoulder.

“Fuck, I almost lost both of you,” Richie exhaled and Stan’s brow furrowed, looking down at Eddie.

“You’re not gonna lose us, ‘Chee. We’re right here, alright?” Eddie said, snaking his arm around Richie’s shoulder. The graceful touches of Eddie’s hands calmed Richie instantly and his shaking nearly stopped, his shoulders dropping from their tense positions.

“Let’s sit down,” Stan said, finally pulling away from Richie. Richie wiped at his eyes furiously, trying his best to get rid of all his tears. He nodded and allowed Eddie to lead him over to the sofa and sit them down, Stan sitting right next to Richie. 

“I’m really fucking glad you’re alive,” Richie said with a small laugh, leaning into Eddie’s touch as he stroked over the back of Richie’s neck. Stan smiled, nudging Richie’s shoulder, “When Patty called, I thought she was lying. Having a psychotic break or something, y’know. But then I heard your voice and we came right away.”

“I’m glad I’m alive too,” Stan said with a smirk, “But I really need to be updated on how exactly I am back.”

Eddie and Richie exchanged a glance before launching into the entire story, from the phone calls, to the tokens, to the failed ritual, Richie in the deadlights, and bullying Pennywise to death. Stan laughed at that last bit hours after they’d begun recounting the tale. By the time they finished, the sun had set in the sky, and Patty had brought them their tea and snacks and an update on how close Mike was. 

“That’s everything that happened. I’m not sure how that brought you back, but somewhere within our fight, something clearly happened.” Eddie said , adjusting so he was sitting cross legged on the couch, his one knee draped over Richie’s leg.

“Our scars all disappeared. Maybe it has something to do with that,” Richie said and Stan looked down at his hand, noting the missing jagged line raised 27 years ago. Stan shrugged, leaning back further into the sofa to relax more.

“I’m glad you managed to defeat It. Fuck, as much as I’m happy to be alive now, I don’t regret doing what I did,” Stan said and Richie furrowed his brow, Eddie’s eyes casting to the floor, “Not in that way. But I know that I wouldn’t have been able to do what you guys did. Be as brave as you all were. Even after hearing that all you really had to do to kill It was call the clown a little bitch, everything leading up to it would’ve killed someone because I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it.” 

“I think you underestimate your bravery, Stan,” Eddie said after a beat of silence. Stan looked at him puzzled and Richie smiled to himself, “You were willing to die so we could all live. That’s braver then I’ll ever be able to be.”

Stan grinned back at Eddie, a moment of comfortable silence settling between the three. Richie in true Richie fashion decided to break that silence with a small chuckle.

“That’s not true, Eds. You married your mother! That’s what I call bravery,” Richie said and Stan burst out laughing as Eddie pelted him in the face with a throw pillow. Everything was just as easy as it was when they were kids, and Stan was so happy to have them back. He’d lived a happy life up until now with Patty, but there was a missing piece to his puzzle. Something that made him feel whole. For the first time in over a decade, the puzzle felt complete.

“When did you divorce your wife?” Stan asked casually, and Eddie froze, looking at him with an air of confusion on his face. 

“How did you-”

“You’re not wearing a ring. And you two clearly figured out your shit and got together like I thought you would so. When did you get a divorce?” Stan clarified and Eddie’s eyes widened, looking over at Richie whose face was bright red.

“You did get my letter, didn’t you?” Stan asked and Eddie just let out a sputtered sound, “The one I wrote for both of you in one letter because I hoped you’d have figured out that you were both so fucking in love with each other?”

“What?!” Eddie exclaimed while Richie remained still, his head now buried in his hands.

“Oh shit, are you not already together? Fuck, I’m sorry, that’s probably so awkward, just ignore everything I just said,” Stan said quickly, his cheeks burning now too. Eddie was still speechless, staring at Stan perplexed.

“We…” Richie said softly, his face still hiding behind his fingers. He was clearly working up a lot of courage, courage to say the things he kept locked away from Stan all those years ago, “I mean, we are. Together, I mean. I just, um, well… I’m gay. And Eds is too. Gay. Not too gay, just also gay. So you were right on, Staniel, ha… right on the money. Yeah… right on the mo-”

“How the fuck did you know?!” Eddie cut Richie’s nervous rambling off and Stan relaxed a bit, quirking an eyebrow at them.

“It’s very, very obvious. You showed up here together, Eddie, your hands have been all over him this entire time. Darling, is it not obvious?” Stan asked, turning to look over at Patty sitting in her armchair. She looked up from her book, glancing at the couple. Eddie was practically sitting in Richie’s lap, the two staring at her with wide eyes. She giggled, looking back at her book.

“I think it’s sweet,” she supplied and Richie groaned, putting his whole face back into his hands.

“I take it no one else knows yet? You’ve both reacted to my deduction like I exposed your secrets to the entire world,” Stan said with a chuckle and Eddie huffed, relaxing a little more, accepting the fact that they were officially out to the Uris’.

“Nobody knows. It happened after everyone left Derry, and I was bringing him home. Plus, there’s a lot of issues going on in his head,” Eddie stated, poking Richie’s temple, “So we’re still adjusting. It’s only been, like, two days, so we haven’t exactly rushed to text all the Losers to let them know.”

Stan frowned at Richie, unhappy to hear that his own mind was working against him. Richie had finally found the love he deserved in this world, he didn’t deserve to feel trapped in his head the way he was in Derry, too afraid to get those words past his lips. Stan should’ve asked when they were kids. Maybe Richie wouldn’t feel so scared now if he knew someone was there to support him.

“Hey,” Stan said softly, nudging Richie’s shoulder. Richie looked up at him, and Stan finally saw the traces of fear in his eyes. Probably not meant for Stan exactly, but for the situation as a whole. Richie was so afraid of himself, it hurt Stan so much, “I’m happy for you guys. And Rich, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. I had a feeling you might’ve been gay when we were kids, but I never asked about it. I thought it’d be best to let you tell me in your own time. I kind of wish I had asked though, because then you’d know that you were loved and you being gay didn’t matter.”

Richie’s eyes twinkled with appreciation and he smiled, allowing his hands to fall off his face. Eddie smiled at Richie, clearly they’d talked a bit about these insecurities, because Eddie looked quite proud of the taller man.

“You too, Eddie. Not the suspicion part, but the loved and, in the nicest way possibly, me not caring about you being gay,” Stan tacked on and Eddie laughed, leaning his head into his hand.

“Thanks, Stan.”

“I am also perfectly fine with it. I know it probably means more from Stan, but I’m a supporter too!” Patty said with a smile and they all looked over at her, chuckling with her. Richie’s eyes cleared slightly when he noticed the clock behind her head and spun to look at Stan, reminded of the impending barrage of Losers arriving soon.

“I’m not ready to tell everyone else yet, though. Eds and I talked about that. I wanna work a bit more on my self-deprecating humour that covers up all my trauma before I open up the closet door to the world, so, please don’t-”

“I won’t say a word, Rich.”

Richie exhaled with a smile, leaning his weight back a little to rest against Eddie’s chest. Eddie carded a hand through Richie’s hair, staring at the side of his head with a lovestruck expression on his face. The scene in front of Stan seemed like the most obvious and necessary thing in the universe. Richie and Eddie were always meant to be together, Stan had felt that too. Even as a child, he felt that way. 

The sound of another car pulling into the driveway shook them from their stupor and Stan stood up to get ready for another round of tearful reunions with Mike. When Mike hugged him tight with happy laughter sounding in Stan’s ears, Stan saw Richie and Eddie standing by Patty, the backs of their hands brushing together.

After everything they’d been through, the puzzle seemed to be completed. All the pieces finally fit.


	2. Bill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill Denbrough Bought a Boat

Fall, 2016

Bill Denbrough bought a boat. He finished his novel at the end of the summer, and his books were flying off the shelves. Audra’s new movie had just released two weekends ago and was currently a box office #1. He was at the top of his game, and his newest book idea was even better than the last; his agent was already working on marketing plans for a 2017 release. So, when Audra jokingly said that with all the success, they should splurge on something crazy, Bill did it.

When Eddie texted saying he was going to be in the area on business, Bill was on his boat, writing the first draft of the new book, Audra sunbathing a few feet away. She perked up at the notification sound and stood, walking over to sit next to Bill at the table. Being early in autumn, Bill and Audra were planning on using up all the heat before it gave way to colder weather.

“Eddie said he wants to meet up because he’s in the area,” Bill explained as she peered over his shoulder, resting her chin atop it.

“Invite him to come see the boat. None of your Losers have been on it yet,” she suggested and Bill chuckled, kissing her forehead as he opened his messages.

“Eddie would never go for that. He’s all about safety precautions and dangers. A boat is probably a recipe for disaster in his mind. Plus, he just got his new job at the CDC, so he probably has an even longer list than normal of all the illnesses we can contract,” Bill said endearingly and Audra rolled her eyes, smacking Bill’s shoulder playfully.

“He’s not that bad, you dope,” She said with a smile. She met all the Losers over a Skype call they had at the end of the summer, introducing Audra to everyone, “It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

“Right. I’ll ask and I’ll get to say I told you so when he shoots me straight down,” Bill said cheekily, typing his message quickly. Audra grabbed his computer as he responded, reading through his draft of chapter ten. Eddie responded quicker than Bill expected, ready to see a list of dangers of being on a boat that he probably copied and pasted off the internet. Instead, he just saw the words **Fuck yeah, that sounds fun! See you next week!**

“I’m sorry, looks like I get to say I told you so,” Audra giggled, reading over his shoulder again. Bill jokingly glared at her, putting his phone back down on the table.

“Whatever, he’s probably doing an exposure therapy thing. I bet he’ll show up next week wearing three life jackets and complain the entire time,” Bill said and Audra laughed, leaning forward to peck Bill on the lips.

“There’s a breeze coming in, let’s head back to shore.” She said with a shiver and Bill nodded, packing his things away and heading towards the wheel.

“You can laugh all you want, angel. I will be right!” He said as he started the engine back up.

-

He was completely wrong. Eddie arrived a week later wearing a floral tourist shirt that looked too big for him and a pair of shorts, sunglasses adorned on his face. There were no life jackets in sight. Bill was surprised when Eddie ran up the dock with a smile, not even phased by the rocking of the pier. Audra didn’t have to know any of this.

“Nice to see you, dude!” Eddie exclaimed, pulling Bill into a quick hug. Bill smiled back, still a bit perplexed by the whole situation.

“You too, man.”

“Holy shit, this is amazing,” Eddie said, staring at Bill’s boat in awe, “I’ve never been on a boat before, I’m so fucking excited.”

“Today’s your lucky day, climb on up,” Bill said with a smile, following Eddie onto the boat. Eddie explored the boat happily, complimenting the design of the interior and the spaciousness of it all.

“Please tell me you named this beauty after George,” Eddie said with a warm smile and Bill smiled wide, nodding back.

“S.S. Georgie. I think he would’ve loved it.” Bill said whimsically and Eddie’s eyes went soft, placing a hand on Bill’s shoulder.

“I think you’re right,” he supplied and Bill smiled back before turning around to start the boat.

“Do you want a life jacket?” Bill asked and Eddie shook his head, taking a seat in the chair next to Bill’s.

“Do you know how to drive a boat?” Eddie asked and Bill nodded, gesturing to his boating license on the dash. Eddie smiled, reclining in his chair, “Then don’t kill us.”

Bill rolled his eyes, still surprised by Eddie’s laid backness, and started driving out of the marina into the ocean. Eddie laid his head back against the back of the chair, his eyes closed contently. As Bill drove the boat further out into sea, he kept chancing glances over at his friend, ready to stop if Eddie showed any hints of fear or anxiety. Instead, he watched Eddie admire the ocean around him, occasionally taking pictures on his phone.

“This is the most amazing thing ever, Bill!” Eddie said loudly over the sound of the motor and the waves. Bill grinned back, relaxing a bit more himself. Without having to worry about Eddie panicking, Bill was free to enjoy the ride just as much as Eddie was. When he looked over at Eddie again, he saw the shorter man looking down at his phone, texting with a soft smile on his face. Bill furrowed his brow slightly, knowing full well that Eddie and his ex-wife Myra were completely divorced.

“You figured out how to connect to the wifi?” Bill asked instead and Eddie looked up, nodding at him. Bill just turned to look back out at the water, deciding that this was a nice place to stop. He set the anchor down and turned the boat’s motor off, maneuvering his seat around to face back the way they had come. Eddie swivelled around too, his eyes brightening as he noticed the view from this distance.

“The mountains look so beautiful!” He said excitedly, pulling his phone up to take more pictures. The two of them sat in a peaceful silence for a while, Eddie’s head facing up towards the sun. Bill hadn’t even seen him apply sunscreen to his skin before getting on the boat; Eddie seemed completely different.

“You’re less wound up, y’know,” Bill pointed out and Eddie turned to look at him, his brows furrowed slightly, “Not so worried anymore. I’m surprised, I wasn’t expecting you to enjoy this so much.”

“I’ve been going to therapy to figure out some of my issues, so I guess there’s been progress,” Eddie said with a shrug and Bill shook his head back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Nah, you seem happier too. Which I suppose would come with the therapy, but there’s more to it than that.”

Eddie exhaled a laugh, leaning his head back again to face the sun. His phone pinged again and he looked down, smiling warmly at it the way he had before. Bill smirked,turning more to face Eddie.

“Who is she?” He asked and Eddie looked up again, his expression puzzled. Bill gestured to his phone, still held out in his hand, but Eddie’s confusion didn’t wane.

“C’mon, I’m not stupid, Eddie. You’ve been texting someone this whole time and smiling like you’re in love at your screen,” Bill said with a smirk and Eddie blushed sheepishly, “So, who is she?”

Eddie just smiled softly, tipping his head back up to look at the sky. Bill rolled his eyes, making a grab for Eddie’s phone. Eddie pulled it away quickly, a fake look of indignation on his face.

“Hey, asshole! It’s none of your business,” he said with a smile and Bill laughed, getting comfortable again in his chair.

“Well, I must know her then, if you’re being so cagey,” Bill guessed and Eddie rolled his eyes, but refused to meet Bill’s gaze. Bill’s grin widened and he sighed, thinking hard about all the girls they had known in high school.

“Oh God, it’s not Greta, is it? That would be a whole other level of abusive, Eddie,” Bill said and Eddie laughed, shaking his head. Just then, Eddie received yet another text and he smiled down at his phone again, “She treats you well, huh?”

Eddie’s smile widened and he looked back over at the mountains, his expression wistful, “He really does.”

Bill’s eyes widened at the casual swap of pronouns, but Eddie didn’t even flinch. He remained completely calm as he admired the view. Meanwhile, Bill’s head was swimming. Not only had Eddie just come out to him, but now Bill was thinking about if there were any childhood memories that held that information that he had yet to re-remember.

“Shit, Eds, did you tell me that when we were kids?” Bill asked urgently and Eddie looked over at him, shaking his head. Bill sighed, happy to hear that he wasn’t missing gaps from his past still.

“Don’t call me that,” Eddie pointed out with a pout and Bill chuckled, being reminded of Richie. _Richie._

“It’s Richie, isn’t it?”

Eddie’s smile just widened and he nodded, not saying a word. Bill wanted to say he was shocked, but after discovering that Eddie liked boys, the boy he had been texting being Richie seemed to make complete sense.

“When did this happen?” Bill asked and Eddie shut his eyes as he turned his face back up to the sky.

“The day Richie and I left Derry once he got better,” Eddie said and Bill thought for a moment about how long exactly that had been.

“Why the fuck am I only learning of it now?!” Bill demanded and Eddie laughed, carding a hand through his windswept hair. He sighed contently, looking down at his phone once again, Bill had a better view of the screen this time and caught a glimpse of Richie’s sleeping face on Eddie’s lock screen, the early morning sun basking him in a golden glow. He looked rather peaceful, and such a soft photo of him on Eddie’s screen seemed out of character for the shorter man.

“Richie’s working through some issues of his own, so it’s not really something that we’ve been telling people,” Eddie explained and Bill nodded, his eyebrows furrowing slightly, “I think that summer was worse for him than any of us realized.”

“Shit, man,” Bill said on an exhale and Eddie nodded, looking a little bit more somber now than before. He took a glance at his lock screen and smiled small before looking back up at Bill.

“He’s been getting a lot better, though. I’ve been able to tell the difference; he’s gonna be okay,” Eddie said confidently and Bill smiled back at him. Bill pondered for a moment on everything he’d just heard, wondering how he was supposed to move forward.

“Are you, um,” Bill began, drawing Eddie’s attention to him. Eddie turned to face Bill, cocking his head to the side, “Are you working through these kinds of issues too? With your therapist, I mean.”

“Surprisingly, no,” Eddie said with a small chuckle, “I don’t think I ever knew I was gay when we were in Derry. I mean, I knew there was something off with how I felt about Richie, but I never knew the words for it. I guess my lack of understanding made it so Pennywise couldn’t use it against me at all. Can’t make me afraid of something I didn’t realize I was. Then I left Derry, and completely forgot Richie, so I forgot that I liked guys at all.

“I always knew I wanted something with Richie, though. The kissing bridge that I dragged you to after we left ‘Chee at the hospital has our initials on it; Richie carved them there. When I was a kid, I’d always hoped that they stood for us, but even then…”

“You just didn’t know?” Bill finished for him and Eddie nodded.

“Going back, I had all the right words and the understanding of who I had forgotten and who I was. I left Myra because she was controlling my entire life and turning me into her pet and I figured that out after the memories came back. But when I remembered Richie, all those other confusing feelings came back with it and I knew what they were. They never scared me as much as Richie’s scared him.” Eddie said.

“Why did you tell me then? If you and Richie aren’t telling people because he’s not ready for us to know, why did you tell me?” Bill questioned, slightly prickly towards his best friend.

“Richie’s fine with all of you knowing. And it’s my relationship too, I’m allowed to talk about it,” Eddie said with a chuckle, “I’m just not going around telling every Loser. Richie gets to come out properly to at least one of them before someone spills the beans.

“Which also means you can’t tell any of them. You’re my best friend, so of course I was gonna tell you, but if you tell any of them, even while they’re blacked out in their sleep, I’ll fucking end you, Denbrough.”

Bill laughed loudly, Eddie joining in a moment after. Suddenly, Bill shivered as a gust of wind came through and he squinted his eyes.

“I’ll drive us back to shore. Audra’s gonna want to take you out for dinner while you’re here,” Bill said and Eddie nodded, swivelling his chair back around. Bill followed suit, hesitating to turn the key to start the boat.

“Eddie?”

Eddie looked over at him, his expression neutral, “Yeah?”

“I’m really proud of you.”

Eddie’s mouth parted slightly, his eyes wide and shining before he gave Bill such a genuine and happy smile that Bill’s insides twisted. Then, Eddie’s phone went off again and he looked down, smiling at whatever dumb thing Richie had said. Bill was so, so proud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Hope you're enjoying so far!
> 
> Next up: Bev


	3. Bev

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beverly Marsh was Richie Tozier's best friend

Winter, 2016

Beverly Marsh was Richie Tozier’s best friend. And Richie was hers in return. Sure, she knew that Stan and Richie shared an intimate sort of friendship, and Eddie was Richie’s favourite person in the world, but Bev knew that the title of best friend in Richie’s eyes belonged to her. 

Ever since 1989 and they spent their break in the summer often casually hanging out in her bedroom when her father wasn’t home and when Bill hadn’t come around to visit, they’d been best friends. They read magazines and comic books together and would gossip about each half of a torn group of friends. Bev had been surprised that Richie was comfortable and fine hanging out with her after the fight that had occurred between him and Bill, but when they ran into each other at the Aladdin and she said hello, he didn’t miss a beat smiling wide and saying hi back.

She knew Richie better than she knew almost anyone, and had learned a lot of tells about him. The way he’d fidget with his hands when he was feeling shy, the way he’d adjust his glasses while nervous, the way he’d overcompensate with (good and bad) humour when he was embarrassed or scared. She knew how to read him almost all of the time. She wasn’t as good at it as Stan who seemed to know the actual cause of what was making Richie feel shy, or nervous, or scared. But she knew what he was feeling.

So when Richie left her a voice message, his voice steady and soft, with no jokes in sight and a shaky sigh at the end saying: “Hey Bev, I was hoping we could meet up when you get to New York. Catch up, see how things have been. I really need to talk to you, so… Call me”, Bev was nervous. She had no clue how to read the way Richie had just sounded so she called back immediately, hoping he’d answer. 

It was the middle of the night on the coast of Australia, where Bev and Ben had docked their boat for the night, and the buzzing of her phone had woken her up just a little too late to answer Richie’s call. The phone rang twice before someone picked up.

“Rich?” She asked immediately and someone yawned on the other side of the line, clearly not Richie.

“Hey Bev, good morning to you too,” she registered Eddie’s sleepy voice in her ear and she crinkled her brows in confusion, “Richie’s in the washroom right now. What’s up?”

“He just called me. It seemed urgent so can I speak with him?” Bev asked, foregoing the question on her mind about why Eddie was answering Richie’s phone. There was a long pause for a moment and Bev grew more anxious, biting at her nails.

“He called about that? Did he ask you to come meet him in New York?” Eddie asked and Bev bit at the inside of her lip, still very confused.

“He…did…? Eddie what’s going on?” Bev asked more urgently this time. She felt a warm hand brush her shoulder and turned around to see Ben peering up at her through one opened eye. He lifted a brow in questioning and she shrugged, holding onto his hand. Eddie sighed, a slight chuckle leaving his lips.

“I didn’t think he’d be ready to…” he began and Bev gnawed harder at her lip, trying to relax as Ben sat up and began massaging the tension out of her shoulders, “You’re in New York in a few days, right? For work?”

“Eddie can you stop being cryptic and just tell me what’s wrong,” Bev asked and felt Ben’s hands falter, now worried just like her.

“Nothing’s wrong, don’t worry about anything like that. Richie and I are staying in a cabin in the Adirondack area. Could you drive out here on Saturday? There’s nothing wrong, he just wants to talk to you,” Eddie stated and Bev frowned.

“If you could give him the phone, I could talk to him right now.”

“No, this has to be face to face, I think. ‘Chee?” Eddie’s voice grew slightly distant as Richie clearly reentered whatever room Eddie was in, “Face to face right? Yeah, it’s Bev. She did get it, you fucking scared her half to death. I asked for Saturday.”

“Eddie can you give him the goddamn phone?!” Bev exclaimed and Ben flinched, Eddie squeaking a little in surprise on his end. The other line was silent for another long second, muffled noises carrying through what must’ve been a hand covering the receiver before Eddie sighed.

“No, I can’t. Apparently he’s in the washroom again. Even though you clearly heard me talking to him just a second ago,” Eddie deadpanned and if Bev weren’t so concerned, she may have laughed, “Apparently I was in the washroom with him which is fucking gross. Look, Bev, could you please just come here Saturday, I’ll text you the address and what Rich needs to talk about he can tell you then. It’s fucking stupid to say, but try not to worry too much, okay?”

Bev sighed, rubbing at her eyes, “I’m still so fucking confused, Eddie. But it’s one o’clock in the morning so I’m going back to sleep. Wish Richie luck in the bathroom.”

She said the last part sarcastically and Eddie laughed, “He says thanks. Night, Bevvie.”

“Goodnight, Edward.”

Bev hung up the phone with a sigh, rubbing her face with her hands. Ben was lying back down again, his arms open to allow her to lie down on his chest. Bev smiled and accepted the offer, nuzzling her face into his chest.

“Is everything gonna be alright?” He asked and Bev grunted, shrugging her shoulders as she started to get drowsy again.

“I’m gonna go see him on Saturday to figure out if it is. But Eddie said everything was okay, so I’m just gonna wait it out I guess,” she said tiredly, shutting her eyes and listening to Ben’s beating heart. Ben sighed contently, running a hand through her hair. It was growing out more and now fell just past her shoulders. Bev revelled in the silence of the room, listening closely to the crashing waves outside.

“Why were you talking to them in the bathroom?”

-

Bev pulled up to the cabin around nine o’clock at night a few days later, and took a second to admire the home. It was large, and seemed warm, all the windows lit up with a glow from the light inside. The chimney had smoke coming out of it, signalling that there was a fire burning inside. Bev shivered as she stepped out of her car, walking through the snow towards the front door. She noticed Eddie in the window smiling out at her and she grinned back, walking up the steps to the door.

“Welcome to our humble winter abode,” Eddie said with a small laugh as he opened the door, and Bev smiled at him, pulling him into a hug.

“I missed you, Eddie,” She said and he squeezed her shoulders before pulling away from her, “Have you guys had dinner yet?”

“Not yet, I have some food in the oven right now, which should be ready in ten.” Eddie said as they walked inside, Bev admiring the beautiful interior of the home. She made a mental note to send Ben some pictures, as he had started getting interested in building them a vacation home somewhere in the mountains.

“Need some help setting the table? Bev asked as she walked up to the little island in the kitchen, smiling her thanks as Eddie poured her a glass of red wine. Eddie’s face faltered a little, his eyes flitting behind Bev. She followed his gaze out the large window in the living room, noticing the shadow of someone sitting outside, a cigarette lit in their hands.

“Go talk to him first, then we can eat.” Eddie said and Bev looked over at him, nodding nervously. She took her wine with her and headed to the French doors that led out onto the patio, stepping outside quietly.

“You must be freezing, Trashmouth,” she said with a grin and Richie looked up at her, smiling too bright when he saw her. He was wearing a red flannel shirt that reminded her of Bill and had a large, fluffy blanket wrapped around him. He put out his cigarette in the ashtray on the table next to him and stood up, enveloping her in a warm hug.

“I missed you so much,” he said and she smiled, squeezing him a little tighter. He was shaking slightly in her grip, and she hoped that that was due to the cold. When he pulled away, he sat back down, gesturing for her to join him. She did so, wrapping another blanket identical to Richie’s around herself.

“This place is gorgeous, Rich.” Bev said matter of factly, looking off the patio at the lakeside view across from them. The lake was frozen over, and Bev could see two pairs of skates at the bottom of the stairs leading down to the beach. There was one helmet as well, and Bev smiled, knowing full well that that belonged to Eddie.

“My manager hooked me up. She said that her sister had her honeymoon here and it was a perfect relaxation spot. I have to agree, she is one smart woman.” Richie said and Bev nodded along, looking up at the twinkling Christmas lights lit above her. Richie’s shaking fingers grabbed for his cigarette pack again and he pulled out another one, placing it between his lips without lighting it. His eyes seemed distant and Bev pursed her lips in concern.

“What’s going on, Richie?” She asked and he turned to look at her, wiping the nerves off of his face too slow for her to have missed it.

“Whatever do ya mean, young miss?” Richie asked, putting on an accent. Bev knew him well enough to know that he typically did that when he was nervous or hiding something and she frowned.

“C’mon, hon. You call me in the middle of the night saying that you really need to speak with me, but not right then. You can’t tell me why, or even talk to me on the phone about it, and Eddie can’t tell me why either,” Bev listed off and Richie looked down sheepishly, fiddling with his lighter before lighting the cigarette, “So I’ll ask again. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Bev.” Richie said, his voice cracking. He took a long drag from the smoke, exhaling slowly. Bev frowned, picking up the pack.

“I thought you were trying to quit,” she stated simply and Richie snatched it back, pocketing it hastily.

“I forgot my stupid e-cigarette thing at home, and I’ve been going fucking nuts. Eddie gave me a pass because we’re on vacation,” he explained guiltily and Bev nodded, taking a sip of her wine. It was smooth, and tasted expensive. Sometimes she forgot how successful Richie was.

“I didn’t realize you two were planning a vacation,” Bev said and Richie shrugged, exhaling more smoke into the cold night air.

“I’m writing new material, so my manager has other things planned out for me to keep staying relevant in the public eye while I work. Rehab is the excuse, I guess. Which I suppose taking time off after almost fucking dying and killing a demonic clown is rehabilitating,” Richie said and Bev chuckled, drinking more of her wine, “Apparently, my Twitter account is sending out life updates every day about my journey towards sobriety and healing from a near death experience. All true, but it feels fake.”

“You’re going sober too?”

“Yeah, I had to on my pain medication but while I wasn’t drinking I realized how much I’d relied on booze. It wasn’t healthy, so no drinking or smoking for Richie Tozier anymore. Only nicotine-free cigarettes, kale smoothies and bulgar wheat. Which tastes like chicken feed, by the way,” Richie said and Bev laughed, wrapping her blanket tighter around her.

“I’m glad you’re turning your life around to be healthier. This vacation definitely feels needed. I was worried you were gonna get straight back on stage once you were better,” Bev said and Richie smiled appreciatively, putting out his cigarette again.

“I fired my entire production team, so I need to start fresh anyways,” Richie said and Bev’s eyes widened in surprise, “Their image of me was not an image I wanted to portray anymore. It’s childish, and just some stupid, near-sexist white man who doesn’t know when to draw the line. I wanna write my own material now.”

“Holy shit,” Bev said, taking another drink.

“Yeah. It was a fucked up process, I had to hire a lawyer to figure out what the fuck my rights were in my contract. Y’know, our rights really should be taught in high school. I would’ve realized that a lot of my rights were being fucked with had I been taught what they were in the first place,” Richie ranted, “My new manager, Heather, is the sweetest lady on the planet, and is doing everything she possibly can to help me out.”

“Did you not talk to them about wanting to change your image?” Bev asked and Richie nodded, sighing loudly as he leaned back further into the seat. His hair was getting a bit longer, looking similar to the length it had when he was younger, and it was curling out a little. He looked healthier, Bev noted, and she was grateful that he did.

“I did. They didn’t like my idea at all. Said it wasn’t appealing to the general public,” Richie said with a frown and Bev furrowed her brow.

“What image were you wanting to go for?”

There was a long pause as Richie pushed his glasses higher up his face, letting out a shaky breath, “Me. Just me.”

“Wha-”

“My therapist thought I should talk to people like a grown up about what that meant, because I know it doesn’t make any sense without context. He thought I was ready to talk about it and that if I also felt ready, I should pick someone I felt safe with to speak to,” Richie rambled and Bev’s eyebrows raised on her forehead. Richie’s hands were shaking in his lap, and he could not meet her eyes.

“Alright,” Bev said softly and Richie let out half a breath. Bev didn’t say anything else, just sat there patiently, already able to tell that this was incredibly hard for him. They were silent for a long moment; Bev was unsure how much time had passed. Suddenly, she heard Richie sniffle and she looked over at him, seeing his face screwed up with tears starting to fall down his cheeks.

“Rich…”

“God, why the fuck is this so hard? You’re not even the first to know,” he said shakily and he rubbed at his nose with the back of his hand, “I’ve never said it like this before.”

“Hey…” Bev said softly, reaching forward to grasp his hands between her own. Richie looked up at her, his eyes still wide with what Bev now recognized as fear, “If you’re not ready to say it, that’s okay. But I want you to know, that whatever it is, it will not affect anything. I love you, Rich. You’re safe, just like you thought you’d be when you picked me for this exercise.”

Richie’s eyes sparkled and he swallowed thickly, nodding at their hands. Bev gave them a squeeze, taking one hand to brush his bangs out of his face. He sighed shakily before looking back up at her, getting nervous again and looking back down at their hands.

“I-I’m…I’m gay.”

Bev’s eyebrows shot up her forehead in surprise, her heart pounding a little in her chest. She wasn’t really sure what she was expecting, but that was a surprise to her. She felt her skin warm with how serious the confession was, now understanding why he was having such a hard time. He seemed so afraid. Suddenly, her heart dropped down into her shoes. If he was afraid of this, what did that say about what Pennywise did to him? 

“I love you.” Bev said fiercely, lurching forward to pull him into a crushing hug. He seemed shocked at first, hesitating to hug her back, before carefully placing his hands down on her back.

“I love you, Rich. And whatever your old team said about this? Fuck them, they were wrong. There is nothing to be afraid of here. There is nothing wrong with you. You’re safe.” She said softly, directly into his ear, and it was as if that cracked him and he started sobbing, gripping onto her like she was his lifeline. She felt herself tearing up with him, holding onto him as tight as she possibly could.

They sat like that for quite some time, Bev resting herself comfortably in Richie’s arms as he slowly stopped crying. Richie pulled away first, wiping harshly at his eyes. Bev smiled at him, squeezing his hands again.

“Wow, that was fucking weak of me.” Richie said with a laugh and Bev smiled, shaking her head.

“Rich, that was the strongest thing I have ever seen you do.”

Richie smiled back at her, his face still wet and red. There was a small knock on the door behind them and they turned around, seeing Eddie peaking his head outside. 

“Dinner’s ready if you both are. Bev, I set up the sofa for you to sleep on too.” He said and they both nodded. He smiled, holding Richie’s gaze for just a moment too long before stepping back inside. Bev watched Eddie go, a smirk creeping up her face.

“You two are fucking, huh?” She said cheekily, turning back around to face Richie. He blushed a little and winked, causing Bev to laugh. 

“Let’s head inside. Eds made homemade cannelloni and I know he’s fucking proud of his filling.” Richie said, standing up and stretching his back. Bev stood too, following him inside.

“So who are the Losers that knew before I did?” She asked curiously and Richie scratched the back of his head.

“Stan and Bill. Eddie told Bill a few months ago, and Stan sorta figure it out the moment he saw the two of us.” Richie explained and Bev’s jaw dropped open.

“You two have been together for that long?! And none of us knew?” 

“They promised to keep it a secret. ‘Chee’s kind of been trying to come out properly for everyone else. Doctor’s orders,” Eddie explained, setting a tray of food down on the table. It smelt absolutely divine.

“Which is also why I need to ask that you keep it a secret too. I want to properly tell Ben and Mike,” Richie requested and Bev smiled, scooping a serving onto the plate.

“My lips are sealed,” she said, taking a bite of pasta. Richie smirked, Eddie side-eyeing him cautiously.

“Well, not all sets of lips are sealed from Big Ben.” Bev started coughing forcefully, nearly choking on her food.

“Richie!” Eddie scolded, smacking him in the back of the head with his oven mitt. Bev drank her wine quickly, watching Richie laugh from across the table. She didn’t even bother to reprimand him herself, just smiling softly. He looked so happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, finals just finished for me and I was hella swamped. Hopefully I'll be finishing this work over winter break!
> 
> Hope you enjoy, next up: Big Ben

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy reading this, this is part two of my domestic Reddie series 'Reddie through the years' that I am starting. I love these boys so much and they deserve a happy ending, so I'm giving it to them. 
> 
> The timeline is all made up by me, so this is all strictly AU


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